What Could've Been
by charmed-darkangel
Summary: One-shot. When Kara's pod landed on earth, Kal-El was all grown up and had become superman. Fort Rozz had landed at the same time, and Astra hearing a heartbeat that she thought she would never hear again, and has mourned for the last 24 years, was immediately at her niece's side, protecting her from the son of Jor-El. Also on AO3.


**Author's notes:** So this is just my take on what would've happened if Astra had sought out Kara as soon as they landed on earth. I've integrated a little bit of background info from the man of steel into Superman's character, since the show doesn't really tell us much about him. Hope you enjoy reading this.

 **Disclaimer:** _ **I don't own Supergirl or any of its characters.**_

Terrified. That's what she felt as her pod had suddenly jerked into motion and began a not so gentle descend to this new planet. _Earth_ , her mom had said. Everything was foggy in the 12 year old kryptonian's mind.

 _Kal-El,_ she suddenly remembered. This was why she was in this pod. She had to protect the little boy. She franticly looked outside the pod, to see if she can spot his, but it wasn't there.

She can see the planet in the distance though. _Blue_ , like her mother's robes. Upon the thought of her mother, Kara tears up and looks back, watching the rubble of what was once Krypton. Her home. Her family. Her friends. All gone. She touches the glass in longing, wishing that she had just perished with the rest of her world, but also knowing she had a mission. Her parents trusted her to protect her cousin, to carry on the memory of Krypton, and that's what she will do.

She was beginning to feel strange. No strange wasn't the word. But she felt whatever it is, in every cell of her body. _The Earth's yellow sun_ , she remembered her mom's words, _it would give her great powers_. The 12 year old in her bristled at the thought. Kryptonians had many advantages over other species and occupants of other planets, but now she was getting something that set her apart from the rest of the Kryptonians. She was feeling rejuvenated, as if she woke up from a good night's sleep. But it was better. Her skin was almost glowing as her body, unbeknownst to her, recharged from the sun.

She stared in amazement at the white planet that was close to earth. _A moon_ , her brain immediately supplied. It was empty, an idea that confused Kara. Surely the inhabitants of earth visited their moon and began harvesting its energy, _no?_

Her pod rocked heavily as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. Kara thoughts raced for Kal-El, wondering if he was alright, and if his pod just arrived before since he had departed before anyway. She would find him as soon as she landed. He was just a baby. How was she going to care for him, she was still young, even by Kryptonian standards that have her starting her military training in just a year, under her Aunt Astra's supervision. _No. Not anymore._ Kara's heart ached for her aunt who she hasn't seen in a long time, who was no longer an esteemed General of the Kryptonian army. Her aunt who she sometimes thought of as her second mother. Kara heard that Astra was arrested for betraying Krypton's high council. She turned her back on her family. Kara was no longer allowed to speak her name at home. It was a year ago that she said her goodbye, but she still missed her.

Kara was knocked out of her thoughts as her pod crashed into the earth, _a not so gentle landing after all_. She was attempting to use the pod's navigation to locate Kal-El's pod, but it was not giving her any readings. Frowning her eyebrows, Kara clicked some buttons but all the pod would tell her is that she is now on earth, conditions favorable for Kryptonians, no data found.

Suddenly the top of the pod was wrenched open with great force. The sun was blinding so she couldn't see very well, but a figure had stepped in blocking the rays. Kara's vision got messed up instantly, she was seeing in lines and blue colors, she was seeing organs and beating hearts. _X-ray_ , she remembered the name from her studies, it was an old way of diagnostics in medicine.

A voice was speaking to her in a language she did not understand. She expresses her confusion in Kryptonese as she blinks furiously, trying to get her vision to return to normal. She is surprised to hear the voice speak again, but this time in Kryptonese. _Broken, heavy accent,_ but still Kryptonese.

"Close your eyes, and focus on my voice." Kara followed the soothing male voice's instructions, finding that she can trust him for some reason. Maybe because she was not expecting to hear her language ever again.

"Try to look at the sun, you won't see an x-ray, move down from there, and focus on the colors, the shapes of the objects."

She eventually got to eye-level, and gasped at the House of El coat of arms in red on the man's chest. He was wearing a Kryptonian skinsuit, made of blue chainmail-like material, with a red cape bellowing behind him. It was an ancient design, she recognized, she had seen it in the history of her House.

She stands and lets him help her out of the pod. She stands with shaky legs, and tries to take in her surroundings. _Greenery,_ is the first thing she noticed. She has only seen it in museums on Krypton, read plenty about it in books, but never seen this much, this close. Her sense of smell was assaulted next. Not too overwhelming, as she was in a remote location, but she can smell the sand, the grass, the air, the smoke from the pod. She decided not to breathe in from her nose, just to focus. Her vision was still swimming in and out of X-ray, and took a conscious effort to stop it.

"You wear the coat of the House of El," he states as he looks at the symbol on her chest, almost in awe, taking in her almost royal looking white dress and cape. Clark was confused, very confused, but was attempting to stay calm for the little girl's sake. She was obviously frightened, obviously an alien, less obviously a Kryptonian, but definitely Kryptonian at the same time. She was family, that much he knew. But there was nothing in his archives that mentioned her. Not that it mentioned a lot about his family specifically.

"So do you. Who are you?" She questions him.

"My name is Kal-El, I am the son of Jor-El, I am from Kryp—" before he can continue, Kara had already flew back several feet away from him. _Bad sign,_ he thinks. "Don't be afraid."

Her heart beating franticly. _Kal-El, her baby cousin, how was that possible? His Kryptonese was bad_ , Kara noted. _He is not from Krypton._ Her cousin was 11 years younger than her.

"Who are you really?" She channels bravery from her aunt, who she has seen many times commanding entire armies.

"Kal-El, although I go by Clark. Maybe if you tell me who you are, I can help…"

She frowned at the foreign name, or why someone from the house of El would want to go by any other name. "My name is Kara Zor-El. I AM from Krypton." She adds the last bit, as aggressively as a 12 year old can.

Clark was about to respond in recognition of the name Zor-El, when he was hurled back forcibly 50 feet away from Kara by a kick to the chest.

The female attacker donned a Black Kryptonian skinsuit, the coat of Kryptonian army in grey on the chest, on the right, indicating the rank of a general. Her black curls framed her sharp features, with a white streak of hair reflecting the yellow sun.

Kara looked at the floating female with widened eyes. "Aunt Astra!"

Astra's features immediately softened at the voice and face she never thought she would see again. She was confused when she had heard the heartbeat that she recognized all too well. The heartbeat of who she considered to be her daughter. _Kara._ Fort Rozz had just landed on earth, Astra being one of the first to step out to the new world. Her senses were immediately overwhelmed by the powers she has gained, and it had taken her all the time to get it under control when she heard the heartbeat. Nothing in the universe could have stopped her instant, almost reflex like reaction.

"Little One," Astra engulfs her niece into a really tight hug. She hasn't seen her in 25 years. She was very aware of her time on Fort Rozz. It was part of the cruel punishment, to stare into eternal darkness, until time becomes meaningless, but a huge clock made them very aware of it. Suddenly Astra realized that Kara was still young, almost as young as when she last saw her. _The phantom zone_ , Astra's heart skipped a beat. Astra was sentenced to the punishment because of her own actions, but sweet Kara, she did not deserve that.

"I've missed you so much," Kara tears up. Astra was the closest person to her, even more than her mom. And she was right there. Kara suddenly finds herself behind Astra, one arm holding her behind the woman, who was almost growling at the approaching man.

Astra's confusion at the symbol on the man's chest mirrored Kara's earlier reaction. Her hate for the house has grown over the past 24 years. They had sentenced Krypton to doom. Her own sister.

Clark was ready to immediately lash out on his attacker, but stopped when seeing the embrace. The girl, _his cousin_ , knew the woman, very well. He decided a slow approach was better, and that was confirmed by the woman's defensive stance. At least he knew she did not mean the girl harm. "I mean you no harm," he spoke in English, then repeated in Kryptonese at the woman's confusion.

"I would sure hope so as you are no match to me," Astra threatens, the General in her coming out in full force at the prospect of Kara getting hurt, "Who are you?" She leered suspiciously at the House of El symbol, and ancient warrior suit. _Second wave Kryptonian conquest missions,_ she judges by the design.

Before he can answer, Kara supplies, "He says his Kal-El, but I left Krypton right after him, I was to protect him. I watched as the planet was destroyed—"

Astra was immediately comforting the young Kryptonian, who started crying as she remembered the sight of her world exploding.

"I arrived to earth 24 years ago…" Clark said, confused at the math. _How could the girl have watched the planet get destroyed and then arrive to earth when she was so young? How was she supposed to look after him and not the other way around?_

"The phantom zone," Astra declared her earlier thought, as she managed to piece the puzzle with her more superior knowledge. If this person, _who was definitely Kryptonian_ , was actually Kal-El, then his pod had continued the journey to earth, while Kara's was knocked off course and into the phantom zone. Probably from the rubble from Krypton. They had all watched the planet's demise from Fort Rozz. It was an indescribable moment of sadness that felt like years. Kara had left after Kal-El, the few minutes delay had mounted up to years for her. "We were both there, Kara, for 24 years."

Clark's eyes widened in shock. He was familiar with the phantom zone from his previous encounter with General Zod and his followers. He immediately steeled himself; as far as he knew, it was criminals who were sentenced to the phantom zone.

Kara was getting overwhelmed. _24 years. Kal-El was old. She has failed her mission. Astra. Astra was right there with her. How did she get into the phantom zone? Her parents had set her pod to fly to Earth, following Kal-El's._

"It's okay Little One," Astra said softly, trying to console the girl who was on the verge of a panic attack at this rate, "I'm here. We will figure this out together."

"I can help you Kara, I'm your cousin." Clark tried to help the girl, his heart was breaking for her.

"That won't be necessary, son of Jor-El," Astra sneered as she again stood in front of Kara, her knees slightly bent, preparing to attack after noticing Kal-El's stance.

"Who are you?" Clark bellowed, channeling his authority from his Superman persona. The woman in front of him was scary, he had to admit. She was smaller than him, but based on how she knocked him back earlier, maybe stronger than him. His current concern was for his cousin. He needed to protect her. _Aunt Astra…_ He remembered what Kara had called her. She was family too; however, she seemed to know exactly who he is, and was still prepared to attack him.

"I am General Astra In-Ze," Astra spat, not attempting to hide her dislike for the House of El.

Clark sighed, as he prepared to attack. _Another General, just another criminal who will want to destroy earth._ He decided that his best course of action would be heat vision, as to control the attack and not accidently hurt the little girl. His eyes glowed red, but he was surprised that so did Astra's, and she didn't hold back her attack.

The laser beams collided with one another, touching in the middle between Astra and Clark. Kara covered her ears at the very loud sound, her senses still in overdrive. She didn't understand why the 2 were battling, they were family. Her family that she thought she lost forever.

Clark was finding Astra's strength to match his, but he had more experience with the enhanced powers, and started dominating the fight, bringing his beam closer and closer to Astra.

Recognizing that she can't win based on sheer strength, Astra relied on tactic; that was her specialty after all. She shut off her heat vision as she floated about a foot in the air, allowing Kal-El's beams to hit her shoulder, and her body to fall to the ground.

Kara cried out and dropped next to her injured aunt, whose face was covered by her curls, but was groaning in pain. She shot Clark a dirty look as he approached.

Clark was almost regretful of his actions. He didn't want to attack the woman, but she didn't give him much choice. Maybe now that she lost some of her strength, she would be willing to listen to some reason. He was about to kneel beside her to check on her, when he felt her steel hand grip his throat, and lift him off the ground by a few inches. His airways were compromised, not that he needed it, but her grip was painful.

"I would tread carefully Son of Jor-El, you don't know who you are up against."

"Aunt Astra, don't hurt him, please!" Kara's voice came from behind her. Astra looked back at the girl, then dropped Clark when she saw the look on her niece's face. She was scared.

Clark fell to his knees and gasped as he rubbed his throat. He watched as Astra stood behind Kara, placed one arm on her chest protectively, and another on her waist. _She was preparing to fly off._ "Astra, wait! I have been living on Earth, I can help you both."

"I think we will manage just fine, Kal-El," there was no way Astra was about to trust a member of the House of El, other than her niece.

"She's my cousin!" Clark defended, not wanting to lose a family member he just found.

"And my daughter," Astra said with conviction as she shot up in the air, carrying Kara with her.

Clark surprisingly did not follow. He will find them again at a later time, when the emotions from the reunion wasn't clouding their judgment. He beamed at the idea of having Kryptonian relatives on earth.

Kara looked up at her Aunt's face as they flew away. Kara did not even look back down at Clark. Her mission was to protect him, but he is all grown-up now, and doesn't need her. She will convince Astra later that he is not a danger, and they should have a relationship with him. Enough has been lost already.

"We are going to be a family again, Little One."


End file.
